Monday, November 26, 2012

Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies in Jar, A Sweet Home Made Gift

Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies in Jar

Hello Beach Dwellers

We are instigating the KISS principle were possible this Christmas and I thought this would be a good idea for a teacher appreciation or hostess gift. It's a little bit like a home made packet cake, but a whole lot better when it is cooked from raw ingredients with few preservatives or the nasties you often find in packet options, which to me, make the end result usually taste yuck.

I have never really understood the value of packet cakes. The level of effort required in getting together a bit of flour, sugar, salt and any other dry ingredients, seemed minimal in comparison to adding some eggs and butter to a packet cake. And the home made results in taste and texture, always made the extra five minutes of effort so worth it. Anyway for this model, the layering was easy enough. If you are a child of the 70's and living in Australia, you may remember a time when it was OK to go to Fraser Island, off the coast of Queensland and collect the coloured sands from the beach, layer them into jars and take them home for posterity. That is so not OK now and that's as it should be, but it reminded me of those happy days, when my dad and I used to climb the sand dunes, digging up the beautifully hued sands.

I sifted in the flour and lightly shook the jar to get it to level out. The sugar I spooned in and patted down to make flat. This choc chip recipe doesn't usually have the sugar coated peanuts, and they made the cookies very sweet, but the kiddos seemed to love them. The reason I put them in, is because I wanted to add something red into the mix. You could use a recipe with craisins or cranberries as well. Or even red Smarties or M&Ms to double as choc chips. Really the possibilities are endless.

I made a card, so I could list the instructions for cooking and also advise the recipient melted butter and vanilla needed to be added to the mixture. I managed to fit an egg into the jar as well, as space provided. I laid it on crumpled baking paper to provide a little more texture and interest to the jar.

Tie on a big red bow and this becomes a beautiful Christmas gift, made with love.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sugar Coated Peanuts

125g// 4oz melted butter

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1.5 cups of plain flour

1/2 cup dark chocolate bits

1/2 cup red sugar coated peanuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F

Pour contents of the jar into a mixing bowl excluding the egg, mix to combine.

Add melted butter, vanilla and the egg. Stir well to combine.

Using a teaspoon take a heaped amount and roll it into a ball.

Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Flatten slightly.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden, stand on the tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire wrack to cool completely.

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About Me

Hi I'm Carolyn coming to you from a sweet little beach house on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Desire Empire is my passion and I love all things vintage, interiors, food, travel and family. Come and join me on my journey in paradise.